You're one of my kind
by Hypertown
Summary: Two years before, Maggie Dufresne left the magic world, heart broken. Now she returns to the Order to find herself in close proximity with a werewolf. Will they be able to heal each others wounds?
1. Chapter 1

It was a humid autumn night on the Far East side of London. Trees creaked and swayed, depositing their umber leaves upon the damp pavement below, undoubtedly to rot and form a muddy soup which many would have to trudge through in the following weeks, allowing of course that a sudden frost wouldn't overcome the city, leaving the roads veritable ice rinks. One of these unlucky civilians was Maggie Dufresne who at the moment was unsure whether the moisture trapped beneath her delicately painted toes and encased in two hundred dollar black suede pumps, was indeed the thick descending fog or instead the many cock tail drinks she had spilled down her bare legs. Owing to the sticky nature of the mystery substance, Maggie was only as sure that it was the alcohol she had not quite consumed as her hazy mind would allow.

The trek back to her apartment wasn't all that pleasant. Her state of inebriation was the most obvious cause of discomfort seeing as she no longer found pleasure in the weightless feeling in the limbs, the disconnect from the reality she had grown to disdain. No, it was not fun anymore, it wasn't fun to be the drunken girl dancing on tables or meeting random guys on the dance floor. Of course she would never go home with these men, or anywhere for that matter. She hadn't gotten _that _intimate with someone since Chris, which was of course understandable, or at least she told herself it was. But this didn't include sloppy kisses or haphazard groping, two activities she frequented.

Lost in the cloudy musings of her disjointed evening, Maggie was soon startled to find herself leaning against the door jam of her apartment, sliding her key chain between ten clumsy fingers, marveling at how exactly she was going to achieve this feat of coordination. A wave of nausea passed through her core at the thought of having to summon her sleeping motherly neighbor to open the door for her, yet again. With much loathing, she opened the gleaming locket that dangled cold and certain between her breasts and extracted a forgotten looking hawthorn wand.

"Alohamora." Maggie whispered, torn between satisfaction and disgust when she heard the resulting hollow click. Hastily stowing her wand back in the locket, she pushed open the door. Groping at the wall to her right for the light switch she almost fell over twice, but thanks to the leaden umbrella stand that rose to her knees, she remained upright and functioning. Her hand soon found purchase when it landed upon the cracked light switch which was immediately flicked into life. The person she saw sitting at her small kitchen table earned a yelp of surprise and the loss of all support from her already buckling knees. Maggie shoved her fist in her mouth, to muffle her cry of shock for the benefit of her neighbors only.

"Hello Magdolin, are you quite alright?" Inquired Professor Dumbledore, looking rather unconcerned from behind his half moon spectacles

"It's Maggie **not **Magdolin," She hissed, peeling off her sticky stilettos before attempting to stand up.

"I prefer it over the horrid biblical name my father insisted I have and I'm perfectly _fine_."

Finally managing to haul herself up, thanks to the nearby wall and keeping her eyes firmly shut, Maggie squared her shoulders defiantly and opened her eyes, unconsciously swaying on the spot.

"I am sorry for my grave error," Dumbledore said, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

"Especially when the proposition I came to make is one that can only be agreed upon if both parties have rather favorable views of each other. I have come here to request you leaving your muggle home and come under my protection."

Maggie snorted.

"Like hell I will. You know you've got some nerve coming in here _completely uninvited _and-"

"Now is that anyway to treat an old friend? Please come sit, I can only imagine how long you've been on your feet." With a wave of his veined hand, a plush chair appeared in front of her, angled slightly in a most appealing way. Maggie paused for a moment, sifting through his most recent comment for any disparaging qualities or innuendos. Unable to find anything particularly malicious, she seated herself, wary but flooded with relief at being able to rest her aching legs.

As soon as her bottom rested on the soft cushion, all traces of humor vanished from Albus's lined face and were instead replaced by a grim expression. Maggie suddenly felt as though she'd stepped into a lion's den with a steak tied around her neck, completely exposed and vulnerable to whatever was to come.

"It has taken me a very long time to find you Maggie. It would appear as though you wish to remain hidden." Maggie winced under the disappointment in his tone, the way she was forced back to her childhood, sitting across from a disapproving father. Both men had had hopes for her, both of whom she'd let down.

"Who are you hiding from Maggie?"

"I think you know exactly what I'm avoiding. I also wouldn't call it hiding per say, it's more like-"

"You abandoned your post, you abandoned your friends and comrades."

"I had to!" She cried, gripping the sides of her chair, willing herself not to cry.

"No you didn't. What happened with Chris was a tragedy, the entire wizarding community mourned such a prolific loss but you have a duty to tend to! You cannot continue running from a role you swore to fill. It is not fair for you to decide the fate of these men and women." Maggie peered into the eyes of the man sitting across from her, tears blurring her vision.

"I-I loved him so- so much." She said thickly, "It's not about the others, it never was. I was only in the order because he was. You have no idea what it was like those first few months!"

"Maggie we have all experienced loss, some takes more a toll than others, but you can't let the dead control your life."

"Experiencing loss?!" She cried shrilly, no longer concerned about the people sleeping on the other side of the walls surrounding her.

"It wasn't just an experience; it was truly the loss of everything! Do you think I had anywhere to go, anywhere to live after they killed him?"

"You had the order, you've always had the order, we will provide to any of our members in need."

"No," She said slowly, shaking her head and sucking in deep shallow breaths.

"I couldn't stay with _them. _Everyone knew. Everyone looked at me with such pity. It was in the back of everyone's minds; I was and still am an example of how not to turn out! I'm a poster child for the pain death causes. And I don't want to be a model for anything! I want to be able to deal with it on my own terms, to miss him in my own way, not be strong for people who don't know me, who don't care." Years of pent up anger and sadness was flooding from her body, through the form of tears and words.

"Maggie you must see that this is no life to live, exiling yourself from the world you grew up in, only using magic in desperate situations, even feeling ashamed for the magic you do use. But most importantly is the drinking, you have to stop."

Dumbledore's tone was now one of consoling, he even reached across the table to lift her chin slightly. Hot tears spilled onto his outstretched hand.

"I'm a mess." She blubbered miserably, hastily wiping away any remaining tears with the heel of her palm.

"Maggie this is very important. The Potter's are in danger. At the moment it isn't exactly grave but I have a feeling, and most of the time my feelings are correct, that they will be facing a grave threat in the near future. You were one of the best duelers the order or even the death eaters has ever seen; we need you now more than ever. I hope you realize that it is either joining the Order or being forced to join the Death eaters, if they do not kill you first. You are a valuable commodity, one that will not be left untapped for long. You need my protection Magdolin."

"It's Maggie." She said, her voice slightly clearer and higher. Dumbledore nodded slightly.

"I must go now, it's getting late and I have a meeting I must be well rested for. Please consider my offer, I will leave a school owl with you in case you decide to contact me."

Dumbledore stood up and made his way to her door.

"Be aware that Acorn will not stay and wait forever, she will leave in an allotted amount of time and the deal will be forgotten. Choose wisely Maggie, please."

The loud crack that signaled his disapparition rang throughout the cramped apartment; echoing and reverberating off panes of glass and her modest furniture. More miserable than she had been in years, Maggie sat at the table, head hung in exhaustion and pain.

Maggie awoke with a start, the sound that had pulled her from the dream she was having ended abruptly, she swiveled her head around, till she spotted the source of the sound. A large tawny owl sat perched upon her desk, a large golden eye appraising her with annoyance as it attempted to tuck its large head beneath a gleaming wing.

"God _dammit _Acorn!" She snarled, head drooping in her hands.

She ran a palm against her damp forehead, trying to coax the memory out of hiding. She could feel it lurking in the foregrounds of her mind. She could almost taste his mouth on hers; almost feel him beneath her hands. It was all so almost! The edges of his face were now blurred, no longer crisp and sharp, no longer seared across the back of her eyelids. Maggie laid her head back down on the warm spot her breath had created on the wooden table. Too tired to make the walk to her room, she had resigned to spending the night with her face pressed against her kitchen table. Anger began to bubble through her, why couldn't he just leave her alone? Every time she made progress, he grabbed a hold of her ankle, dragging her back into the darkness, forcing her to climb to the surface and have the whole cycle repeat itself. It had been months since she'd had such a cruel dream, she thought she'd made so much progress. There was only one way out of this rut.

"Acorn come here." She called in a low, tired voice.

"I've got a letter for you to deliver girl."


	2. Chapter 2

"Now just hear me out," Sirius said, picking at his gleaming teeth with a tooth pick. "Let's just say that in those few years she_ mysteriously _left the order, she ran into some Death eaters." The entire audience at the table groaned, all except for Dumbledore, who was currently staring particularly hard at a stain on the linoleum floor beneath his feet.

"Sirius come off it!" Fabian Prewett sighed, putting his feet up on the large wooden table.

"Fabian! Feet off!" Alice cried, slapping at the leg that was resting on her kitchen table.

"Like I was saying! How do we know she hasn't turned to the dark side so to speak? How do we know she won't whip out her wand and blast us all to smithereens the second we turn our backs!?"

"Sirius do you honestly think someone who completely abandoned the wizarding world will have returned with some vengeance against those who protected her, especially since the death eaters killed her boyfriend? Think about what you're saying." Lily repeated for the umpteenth time that day.

"But that's the thing, she probably has loads of pent up anger inside and wants to take it out on the people who she thinks didn't protect him! I mean lots of normal people can go kind of crazy, just like that." He snapped his fingers together.

"Pads honestly, quit convincing yourself that she's some double crossing-"

What exactly Maggie Dufresne was was cut short by the slamming of a door and the quiet "Whoops" that followed it.

"Maggie is that you?" Dumbledore called his voice loud and clear.

"Uhh yeah it is, sorry about the door."

"No matter no matter, come on into the kitchen Maggie, everyone is in here."

The dark shape of a thin woman became more and more defined, coming from the dark narrow hallway leading from the house's entrance. She seemed to pause, as though preferring the anonymity of a face hidden in shadow, but when she stepped forward into the light, it was a wonder why she would want her features hidden.

She had large, almost bulging brown eyes which were rimmed with dark lashes. Beneath these protruding orbs sat a small delicate nose, a slight curve at the tip gave it a slightly ski jump-ish appearance. Her mouth was small and rosy, her teeth white and straight. These features sat atop an oval face, shrouded by a thatch of thick chestnut curls. She was also surprisingly pale, even for London. If her hair were only a few shades darker, she would have resembled a modern snow white. She flashed Dumbledore an apologetic smile and began to unwind a floral scarf from around her neck. She sat down in the closest available seat and nervously ran a hand through her hair, giving off the scent of mint and the city.

"Sorry I'm so late. There was a lot of traffic and of course my crappy car had a lot of trouble with the ice." As predicted, the city had frozen overnight.

"Wait wait wait, did you drive here?" A tall man with particularly messy hair asked, incredulous.

"Um…yes?" The young woman looked slightly affronted and uncomfortable at having everyone's eyes trained on her.

Dumbledore cleared his throat quietly, instantly bringing all attention to him.

"That is fine Maggie, we are just glad you came."

Maggie raised an eyebrow; on the contrary, most of the people at the table looked anything but pleased.

"I do believe some introductions are in order! Of course you remember Alastor, Dedalus, Mckinnon as well, Frank and Alice who I believe were in your year were they not?" All three nodded.

"Wonderful. Oh and Sturgis, Aberforth is unfortunately away but I'm sure you remember him, and you have met Lily and James before correct?"

"Only Lily, I helped her with Herbology in my fifth year." She said quietly, smiling politely around the table at everyone Dumbledore had indicated. It amazed her just how little people could change in the span of three years.

"Good to see our memories are still intact. Now there are some new faces of course, Edgar Bones right here, Emmeline Vance? No didn't think you'd met her, Caradoc Dearborn, Elphias Doge, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, Sirius Black and of course, Remus Lupin. Dear Peter Pettigrew was unavailable this evening but you will most likely meet him in the near future." Smile still plastered on her face, Maggie shook hands with everyone whom Albus had indicated before hurriedly sitting back down, desperate for Dumbledore to switch to a new subject. Maggie had never minded being the centre of attention, but being closely scrutinized by seventeen people was not her idea of fun.

"Now I have called this meeting to order due to the-"

Believing it was now safe; Maggie unzipped her leather jacket to reveal a gauzy white V-neck and a pair of form fitting dark wash jeans, not truly hearing what the old man beside her was saying till he mentioned her name.

"-has not performed magic in three years. This is a dilemma which we must find a solution to immediately."

If anyone at the table had had any doubts about her competence before hand, they were now affirmed. Shocked silence spread like a sickness.

"Wait, no magic? None at all?!" Inquired an awed Remus Lupin, who blinked dumbly at her from across the table.

"Well apart from the occasional 'Lumos' no…not really." Maggie gave Dumbledore a pleading glance, begging him to rescue her.

"But why?" Asked a wheezy voice from the other end of the long oak table, Maggie leaned forward and after a moment of hesitation, assessed that the question had been asked by Elphias Doge.

"Some things happened, complications arose but it's-"

"Weren't you engaged to that Chris Hagen?"

"Pads, _shut up_." Remus hissed to the man beside him.

"Listen," She said, staring resolutely at her folded hands sitting in her lap.

"I don't really want to talk about it, it's kind of a touchy subject. I would really appreciate it if you guys would just drop it…like now."

There was a moment of awkward silence, tension so thick you could cut it with a knife as everyone shifted in their chairs and cleared their throats.

"Maggie are you still able to produce a patronus?" Dumbledore asked softly.

She made a non committal noise, still staring fixedly at her hands.

"Pardon me?" He persisted.

"No," She sighed. "I don't think so, I haven't really tried in a while, but if you were to ask me to do one right here right now than I wouldn't be able to. So I guess that's your answer." She felt sick with embarrassment. Everyone at the meeting was sure to think she was some pathetic love sick girl, pining her life away on a dead boy. Maggie rested her cheek in her hand, realizing it had been a mistake to come.

"Well that certainly does give us a goal to work towards. Now someone will need to coach Maggie here till she is ready to-"

But Maggie was no longer listening to Albus's words. All she could make out was the pounding of blood in her ears, the ticking of the second hand on the old clock across from her. Just as she began to muster up the courage to stand up and leave dramatically, the talking ended and everyone began to file out of the spacious kitchen. Maggie looked around, bewildered. Soon it was just Alice Longbottom and Lily Evans who remained.

"So Maggie, where exactly are you from?" Alice asked politely, clearing away glasses and papers with a flick of her wand. Maggie observed her non chalaunt spell casting with barely contained envy.

"Canada, home of hockey." She said, smiling to herself.

"I knew that accent wasn't from around here. What made you travel across the pond?"

Maggie knew Alice was only making small talk to calm her down, but she liked it.

"Well my dad was a muggle, so he never really knew about magic till he met my mom. My older sister is a squib and my mom didn't want that same fate for me, so she thought that maybe moving us closer to the best wizarding school out there, my powers might develop better. I guess they did though or I wouldn't be here."

Alice nodded, clearly searching for another question to ask. But Maggie beat her to it.

"Where did everyone go?" She asked, clutching at straws.

"The meeting's over, they're leaving! Well Dumbledore will be once he returns from getting your things."

"Wait what?! My things? What things!" Maggie sputtered, jumping to her feet.

"Maggie weren't you listening? You will be staying here."

"No!" She cried.

"No?" Alice's face fell into a look of hurt and offense.

"I mean, so soon? I thought that I'd at least have another _week_! I mean, what about my rent, my landlord? And I certainly couldn't impose."

"Don't you think we have this all sorted out? Your rent and landlord have been dealt with and your belongings are being flown over here as we speak. And impose? Maggie that's just ridiculous! This home is welcome to any Order member in need."

"Maggie your apartment is no longer safe, I'm amazed that Death eaters haven't already shown up at your door. After today you will never be able to return, it's just too dangerous." Lily piped up for the first time, observing her with kind eyes.

Maggie collapsed into her chair, resting her head in her folded arms.

"This is so frustrating!" Her irksome cry was muffled by material and flesh.

"It's not just you who needs lodging; Remus, Sirius and Emmeline are all staying here till they find a place to stay. You of course are welcome as long as you like, seeing as we evicted you in a way. You won't have to leave till you are fully prepared."

Alice's voice was quiet as she laid a gentle hand overtop of Maggie's who in return let out a sigh of defeat.

In the next few hours she was fed something hot and delicious, unable to identify the flavours in such a clouded mind. She endured much casual conversation, something she typically loathed, before being led into a spacious room with a soft mattress and a downy duvet. But as she lay there, wrapped warm and tight in the blankets surrounding her, an all too familiar emptiness bloomed in her stomach, clawing its way up into her lungs. It was a feeling she had been quelling for a long time but one which could not repress any longer. Here in a house filled with so much noise and life, she already had to confront the feelings eating away at her. The heart break had taken so long to recover from, but she had finally begun to recover from the hurt But as she lay in the soft warm bed, rolling restlessly, eyes shut tight, she was overcome with utter loneliness she had become accustomed to.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling (I wish) and I do not own any characters in this story except for my dear Maggie and her deceased boyfriend, sad I know.

It's taken me a super long time to update and I'm sorry, super super sorry! Enjoy!

* * *

Maggie awoke with a start, groping for the lamp beside her. She was unsure what exactly had awoken her at such a time but whatever it was was not going to be treated kindly once she figured out how to get her legs functioning again. And there the sound was again, coming from beneath her feet.

"So bloody _early_!" She hissed, peeling the layers of warm blankets from her toasty legs. Wincing, she stood up and began to tug on a pair of hole riddled sweat pants overtop of her customary sleep attire, a t-shirt and underwear. Once her dressing was complete, she left her room, determined to investigate the source of the noise.

Maggie had always known that if she were in a horror movie she would be killed first, she would be the baby sitter who stumbles into a pitch black basement, unaware that a masked murderer is only inches away. She tiptoed through the poorly lit hallway and down the carpeted stairs, keeping one hand skimming the wall the entire way down. Eventually she made her way into the brightly lit kitchen, cursing under her breath at the pain in her quickly dilating pupils.

"Remus…what are you doing up so early?" She said hoarsely, raising a hand to shield her eyes.

"I have a job interview in an hour and I want to get there early." He replied quietly. "But may I ask why _you_ areup at such an ungodly hour?"

"Well this weird noise woke me up and once I wake up I can't get back to sleep."

"Oh I'm sorry, that must have been me! I was trying to make breakfast for myself but I had a few complications." He gestured vaguely to the area behind her.

Maggie turned around and saw an absolute mess. Pots were overturned; bags of porridge and sugar were spilled across the counter. Cups and bowls were skewed across the stove along with spilled tea and coffee.

"Remus do you possess no hand-eye coordination whatsoever?"

"Hey," He said indignantly. "I was trying to be independent."

"And how did that go?" Remus stuck his tongue out at her.

"Well the food is fine, so **enjoy**." Maggie flashed him a smile and made her way over to the mess of a stove.

She grabbed a spoon and began scooping porridge into an awaiting bowl. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.

"Do you know where the cre-"She was cut off by him sliding a cream and sugar dish across the table. She sat for a moment, smiling.

"Well you seem to have everything prepared don't you?" He smiled in reply.

She mixed the cream and sugar into her coffee, something she didn't usually enjoy but being up this early definitely constituted for caffeine reinforcement.

She raised her spoon to her lips, taking a very cautious first bite. She chewed painstakingly slow.

"Thoughts?" She glanced up at him and swallowed.

"Well….a little on the mushy side, but overall I think you deserved a solid B."

"I didn't realize you were a food critic."

"One of my many talents."

"Speaking of one of your many talents," He said, sawing a sausage in half. Maggie was momentarily distracted. Where the bloody hell was the sausages? She turned her head back towards the stove.

"Maggie are you listening to me? I'm trying to tell you something important."

"Oh sorry." She amended, slightly embarrassed.

"Like I was saying," He eyed her, making sure her focus was on him. "Dumbledore asked me to train you. To help you recover all the dueling skill you lost on your break from magic." Maggie was suddenly alarmed; she was being trained to fight so soon?

"Remus I don't need any help. I'm perfectly capable of fighting if need be."

"Maggie you can't even produce a patronus."

"Patronus's are so over rated. I mean when will I ever come face to face with a dementor?"

"That's not the point; you have to be able to do these kinds of complicated spells if you expect to fight Voldemort." Maggie flinched.

"I didn't realize I'd be expected to do so much so soon."

"Well that's how it is for all of us. We always have to be aware and prepared for an attack. You've been out of it for a while and trust me; life in the order has only gotten more dangerous."

"I can tell." She said quietly

"I mean in these past years so many people have died, you really truly are lucky that…" His voice trailed off, he ate another sausage almost immediately.

"That what? That someone I love didn't die?" Remus took a long pull from his mug of tea.

"Well I mean if you don't count my boyfriend, but then again I can't really blame you. It's not like we were _married _or anything. I really am lucky aren't I?" Maggie was slightly shocked by how angry she felt. He knew nothing of pain or sadness, he had his best friends for life and he got to go on amazing adventures with his precious little order.

"Listen I know how it feels, to be isolated and cut off from the rest of society. I understand."

"You don't know anything about pain or being completely alone!"

"Yes I do! And I don't do it on purpose or because I'm upset, it's forced on me!"

"Please enlighten me then, on now you're so wounded and alone." Maggie sneered.

"Well I guess since you're in the order, I have to tell you. I'm a werewolf."

Maggie was dumbstruck. How could a bloody thirsty werewolf be aloud into the Order? How could Neville and Alice let him be near their son? Of course he was rejected by society, rightfully so. Innocent people had died at the hands of such men.

All the anger seemed to have drained out of Remus as well; he sat across from her, looking deflated and anxious.

"You…you went to the same school as me." She said slowly.

"Yes I did."

"All those children…"

"I never attacked any of them if you're wondering. I have never attacked anyone before." Remus had no idea why but it was of the utmost importance that Maggie not think ill of him. All his thoughts seemed to be centered on her not being frightened of what he was.

"Do James and Sirius-"

"The whole Order knows. Some don't accept it but they all seem to tolerate me at least."

"Oh." Maggie couldn't pretend that she'd seen this coming, or that she wasn't completely blind sided by the announcement he had made.

"So I'm assuming that you don't want to do lessons with me then?"

Maggie chewed her lip, was she comfortable being in the same room as him anymore?

"You have to understand that I've been told a lot of things about…your kind… and that I'm not sure which of it is true and which of it is pure fluff." Remus considered this for a moment.

"Well I am very dangerous at the full moon, so much so that I truly must isolate myself. But at any other time I am perfectly clear headed." He stared at her hopefully, as if this statement might clear all her worries. "If you still don't feel comfortable being in the same room as me I understand, Sirius could teach you."

Maggie gazed up at his sad face, one that had clearly faced much scrutiny and rejection in his life.

"I'm….I – look I guess it doesn't really matter that much to me."

"Really?" He said in surprise.

"Really really."

"Are you completely sure?"

"Remus if you keep asking I'm going to change my mind." There was a long silence, Maggie looked up and saw him smiling slightly, watching her. He became flustered when she caught him.

"Well that's really great to hear. We can start as soon as possible. This week isn't looking very good but how about next?"

"I'll try to pencil you in. I am very busy you know." She said dryly. He grinned sheepishly.

"Alright, well I'll see you later." He jumped up from his seat, deposited his dishes in the sink and left the kitchen, making his way to the door.

Maggie smiled slightly at his enthusiasm, it was actually pretty cute. She hadn't been around someone who she could banter with in a while, it was refreshing. And with that she quickly finished her lack luster porridge and began to hunt for sausages.

Life at the Longbottom's was a very new and welcoming experience for Maggie, especially the evenings the Potter's would arrive, a large bottle of elf made wine in tow. They would insist on making dinner, which everyone would be grateful for considering James was a master of cooking with magic. Tonight James stood at the stove, stirring and adding to spices to a simmering pan while Lily sat at the table, having already abandoned her attempt at chopping salad the muggle way, in order to enthrall her audience with tales of her highly entertaining school life.

"And so then I hear people yelling my name and laughing, so instantly I had a very bad feeling. I run down the stairs and find, 'Evans will you please be my girlfriend?' written in gigantic flame letters just floating in mid air."

"Flame letters?" Frank snorted.

"Yes, they were literally made out of _fire_. I was unbelievably embarrassed when suddenly they drifted over to the wall-"

"I'm pretty sure things can't _suddenly drift _Lils." Maggie giggled.

"Am I telling a story or not? And yes things **can** suddenly drift!" She replied, slightly shrill but laughing all the same. "Anyways it drifted towards the wall and suddenly the tapestries are on fire and everyone's running and screaming and it's all getting blamed on me!"

"Hey it wasn't even that bad." James rebutted, brandishing a spatula.

"Yes it was thatbad! Cindy Wilkin's eyebrows were never the same again!!" She cried. "And if that's not bad enough. McGonagall gave me a detention for being too influential!"

"Are you still complaining about that? Come on Lily it was your only detention ever." Sirius said between chuckles.

"Yeah come on honey, it was a sign of my everlasting love for you."

"Setting our school on fire?"

"Exactly." Everyone erupted in laughter as Lily and James grinned at one another.

"So," Frank began, once the laughter had died down. "Maggie I specifically remember you having quite an avid following in our time at school. Care to share some stories?"

Maggie cleared her throat quite loudly and gave a sloppy grin.

"Well sir, I do not believe my glass is not nearly full enough for me to exactly recall my youth." She gulped down the dregs of her drink and held out her glass, eyebrows slightly raised. Frank smiled and tapped her glass with his wand, filling it to the brim. She withdrew her glass and took a cautious sip.

"Yummy. Oh now the memories are coming back to me. Well I do happen to remember one particularly horrifying potions class. One that involved a boy named Elliot." The tentative girl who had sat before them only days before had not had the benefits of three glasses of liquid courage sloshing around in her belly, along with a freshly poured fourth in her grasp. Alice began to snicker into her glass, clearly remembering this class since she had been in it.

"Shush Alice, don't give away the surprise. So anyways, it was a warm day in June and everyone had **enhanced** their uniforms to make sitting in the boiling classes a bit more bearable, me included. Now it was common knowledge that the boy I sat beside in potions was crazy about me and also a little off in the head but sadly, I already had a boyfriend. So on this day he was shaking pretty bad and kept making fists under our table. He was also staring pointedly at my boobs and legs." Maggie paused for a second, taking a long sip. "So being the concerned partner I was, I asked him if he was okay. Suddenly he looked as if he was seeing the sun for the first time, he just stared at me as if I had just said the nicest most incredible thing ever and suddenly fell to his knees in front of me. Then he yelled in front of the whole class, 'Magdolin Dufresne please bear my children!'" The response was instantaneous, everyone within earshot collapsed into hysterics.

"Your- your face was bright red!" Alice wheezed.

"I was in such shock and humiliation that I think I may have agreed before I high tailed it out of there. Elliot Ramen thinks I want to 'bear his children.'"

"Elliot Ramen?" Sirius cried. "That guy asked me if girls had to shave their chests!"

"He asked me if there were laws against wizard- animal relationships!" Remus yelped, out of breath.

Maggie lost it at this point, sopping her wine down her front and losing the precarious balance she had maintained on her chair.

"Merlin's beard," Sighed Frank, smacking his lips. "More more!"

"If you insist." She mumbled thickly, hoisting herself back onto her chair.

"As all of you know, hoisting people up by their ankles was a popular form of entertainment-"Sirius and Lupin exchanged significant looks.

"But before that, when I was in my first year, 'Alohamora' was very popular with the boys. They would shoot it at the poor girl's skirts, it took a lot of accuracy, and the skirts would lift up to reveal all sorts of things."

"The skirts? Why didn't we think of the skirts!" Sirius cried staring bewildered at James, who looked just as thunderstruck.

"I don't know mate. God it was so obvious, the skirts!"

"Excuse me James, I believe the appropriate response is 'I did not need to look up other girls skirts, I was trying to win over the girl of me dreams.'"

"Of course dear, but the skirts!"

"I do believe Maggie was trying to tell a story." Alice interjected. Maggie chuckled quietly and continued where she had left off.

"So as I was saying, no girls were safe from this spell, most girls even began to wear shorts or even pants instead of skirts. But one day a boy shot the spell at Becky Walder whose skirt flew up to reveal a very unattractive pair of panties. She spun around and aimed it right at his poor little willy." The boys at the table choked up their drinks, gazing at her in wide eyed horror.

"His whole lower half was lifted off the ground as if there was a string connected to his crotch. People laughed for days and days."

It took a few minutes for the laughter to dissipate but when it did the stories continued to be shared till they all sat, full of delicious lamb and wine.

"Well I guess it's about time to head home." Said James, unsuccessfully stifling a yawn.

"Yes, I do believe Neville will appreciate the quiet after such a long day. Maggie looks like she would too." Alice murmured.

"Huh? Wha?" Maggie's head shot up from the plate she had momentarily been drooping over.

"No, I'm perfectly fine! Let me help clean up Alice." She reached for the nearest glass but miscalculated her reach and sent it flying.

"Maggie, its fine! Sirius could you take her- um actually Remus," Frank added in response to Sirius's sly grin.

"Can you help Maggie to her room?" Remus looked down at his lap and sighed, standing up.

"I don't know if I'm very steady on my feet at the moment." But he was already standing up and striding over to Maggie's chair.

"I'm fine!" She cried, hauling herself out of her chair. She swayed for a moment and immediately clutched at his awaiting arm.

"I'm really sorry about the cup Alice, Frank!" She called as Remus led her down the hallway and up the stairs.

"Its fine dear, get some rest!"

Remus kept a secure grip on her the entire time, glancing down occasionally.

"I'm quite capable of getting myself into bed, no need to scar you or anything." Maggie said as briskly as she could manage, peeling his fingers from around her arm.

"I'm sure I've suffered much worse than seeing you totter into bed." He replied, a little bitterly. He caught himself though and immediately smiled warmly, helping her through the doorway. She flopped onto the spacious bed and swung her legs over the edge. He stared in mild surprise as she tugged off her belt. He even began to wonder if she had forgotten he was there till she piped up.

"Remus I must insist you leave. I don't particularly like giving peep shows to people I don't know." Remus blanched and apologized, heading for the door.

"Good night." She muttered as he stepped into the hallway.

"Don't forget our lesson tomorrow!" He called, closing the door behind him.

Maggie let out a low groan and rolled over, squishing her face into the fluffy white pillow. She drifted into a deep unmoving sleep to the sounds of the guests saying their good byes beneath her floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: If you read this and go "wow I've heard that name in a certain series of books before" then it's not mine. Enjoy!

"No it's more of a sweeping motion with your arm on the 'O'. Try again."

Maggie sucked in a deep breath through her nose, quelling the urge to strangle her instructor.

"Protego!" She cried.

A large shield materialized in front of her, flickered for a moment, then disappeared.

"Good! You're so close. Just a few more tries, this time I'm going to shoot a simple jinx at you and it will be up to you to block it alright?" She nodded hastily as Remus extracted his wand from his robes.

"One…two…three!"

"Protego!"

"Lecaris!"

The shield formed a second too late, giving Remus's spell an opportunity to hit her straight in the stomach. She began to gasp and retch, falling to her knees and pounding on her chest.

"What the hell was that?!" Maggie yelped once she regained her breath and was able to stand up.

"A spell to wind your opponent, but what is much more pressing is your lack of response. I think we will have to work on sharpening your reflexes." Remus frowned, eyes becoming unfocussed as his mind drifted to future lessons.

"Excuse me Lupin, but my reflexes are just fine and for your information, I said the spell a second too late! That is not exactly catastrophic!"

"It was a second that could have cost you your life if I was a death eater! Surely you of all people know the value of time. I mean you were one of the Order's best, how can you be so blasé about timing?"

"_Were_? I'm sure I could still whoop your ass one on one." Remus snorted and shook his head.

"What? You think that just because I'm a girl means I'm not as good of a fighter as you?"

"You know that's not why."

"Oh well then please tell me what I already know!" Maggie was shouting at this point, unsure as to why she was so angry.

"Because you've barely cast a spell in years, whereas I have been working my ass off for Dumbledore and have been active in the community this whole time!" There was an awkward silence for a moment.

"Listen," Remus said uncertainly. "I'm not exactly sure why we're arguing but it really doesn't have anything to do with the lesson, so could we please get back on track?"

Maggie sighed and nodded, running a hand through her long hair.

"Sorry I flew off the handle like that, I just really don't like being winded. Some weird thing about not liking physical pain, you know?" He cracked a crooked smile at her attempt at humor.

"Well I know that you're working hard and I appreciate it, really I do. You're doing really well too, better than I thought you would."

"Aren't low expectations great?" He laughed and nodded.

"How about just a few more tries? Then we can move onto something else." Maggie gave a small smile at his encouragement before squaring her shoulders and rooting her feet to the ground, prepared for anything her might throw at her. The next few tries were much more profitable, owing to the fact that she was more focused. Only getting tripped up once more, Maggie was soon able to deflect all of his spells with ease.

"I think we should work on different defense spells. Some of them are much more complicated than 'Protego' but just as crucial to winning a duel." Maggie nodded excitedly, the complex charms had always been her forte.

"Now there are charms you can use to deflect unwanted spells but I find the simplest method in one on one combat is to simply _flick _away the spell." Remus had begun to pace, tapping his wand against the palm of his hand. Maggie was enthralled; it was like being back at school, a place she missed dearly.

"The best way to achieve this is by using a 'non-verbal' method but seeing as we're starting off easy, we will save that particular lesson for a different day. Now I want you to imagine a spell coming at you like a ball. A ball that you can pick up and toss away with a flick of your wand, I want you to visualize this and when you're ready, say 'Descardium'. Go ahead, close your eyes." Maggie closed her eyes obediently and tried to picture and bright red ball flying towards her, she peeked open her eyes.

"I feel silly." She said quietly, smiling sheepishly.

"Maggie one of the most important elements of successful spell casting is to visualize what you're planning on doing." Remus raised his eyebrows expectantly at the woman in front of him. When she just raised her shoulders and pursed her lips he sighed.

"Alright, how about you talk about it aloud; walk me through what you're seeing."

"Alrighty." Maggie closed her eyes tight and let the scene fall into place behind her eyelids.

"I see a bright red ball."

"How big is it?" Remus had begun to walk in slow circles around the girl, observing her closely.

"Pretty big, you know…really round. Kind of like a grapefruit."

"Where is it?"

"Well it's flying towards me, but really slowly. Like it feels like I could reach out and just grab it."

"Okay now I want you to grab the ball."

"Grab the ball?" Maggie opened her eyes, eyebrows furrowed.

"It doesn't work if you don't keep your eyes closed and yes, _grab_ the ball."

Maggie nodded and closed her eyes once more. In her mind she reached out and plucked the crimson ball from mid air, feeling the heat and energy of it.

"Okay I'm holding it now; do you want me to throw it?"

"Yes."

She imagined throwing it at the bookcase; books and torn pages sent flying all over the room and a fist sized hole left in the teal wall.

"Okay it left a hole in the wall and I can already hear Alice shrieking at me, can I open my eyes yet?"

"Of course," Remus said, chuckling. "Are you ready to try it for real?"

"Sir, using my hand to chuck a ball and actually throwing away a spell is two entirely different things."

"Sir? I'm a year younger than you if you've forgotten."

"Yeah and about half a foot taller if you haven't noticed." They both grinned at each other before Remus suddenly shot her a mock glare.

"All you've been doing this entire time and distracting me, are you ready to try this spell or not?"

"Yes, geez." Maggie took a deep breath through her nose and concentrated on the tennis ball Remus was now holding.

"Okay, we're going to start simple. I'm going to throw this ball at you and you must flick it away, alright? Do you remember the spell?"

"Yes." She said slowly, training her eyes on the fluorescent orb in his hands.

They began shakily, her succeeding in deflecting the ball only a handful of times. He consoled her each time the ball found purchase on her various limbs and offered words of encouragement till she finally managed to wedge the ball into the wall to her right with just the flick of her wand.

"Excellent!" He cried, ecstatic. "Now let's try against actual spells."

The rest of Maggie's afternoon was spent dodging a barrage of jinxes and curses, using many different means of defense. These ranged from actual defense spells to screaming 'Confundus!' in panic.

"Ennervate. I'm so sorry Remus!" Maggie cried, dropping to his side and reviving him as he lay on the floor yet again.

"It's alright, no really its fine." He waved away her attempt at help up, opting to hoist himself up, wincing all the while.

"My mind just keeps going totally blank and it's just a knee jerk reaction to knock you down."

"Honestly, I wouldn't have expected anything different. In fact I'm glad that your first instinct is to protect yourself. Unfortunately being constantly incapacitated can really take its toll." Maggie groaned.

"Stop it! I feel bad enough as it is! Maybe we need to set up a mattress in here or something."

"Now what would everyone else think when they would see us walking up here with a mattress and spending hours behind a closed door? Speaking of hours..." Maggie was relieved that he had turned his attention to the lock above her head so that he didn't have to see her begin to blush furiously.

"Merlin! It's almost six o'clock! You must be bored to tears. I'm sorry for detaining you for so long!"

"Bored to tears?" She quoted, puzzled. "Today has been one of the most interesting days I've had in years! I love this kind of stuff and you're an amazing teacher!" She gushed. How could he possibly have thought she hadn't enjoyed their day together? Remus broke into a wide grin and for the first time Maggie was caught off guard by how lovely he truly was. His bright brown eyes were flecked with gold, a quality she noted from five feet away. He had a straight, regal nose and although on the thin side, remarkably soft looking lips. But what really shocked her was the one sided dimple he sported, a quality which she revered and coveted.

"Uh, would you like to go get dinner?" Maggie reeled for a moment, was he asking her on a date? Remus realized his mistake quickly though.

"I mean downstairs, I can smell it from here." He said quickly.

"Oh yeah, of course." Maggie turned around and hastily opened the door. Oh god she must have seemed like such a creepy girl, just standing there gawking at him for what must have been awhile.

Remus followed close behind and when she paused to hazard a glance over her shoulder to assess just how weirded out he was, she caught him shooting furtive glances at a near by mirror. She watched him attempt to smooth down his chocolate colored hair. They made their way down the stairs and into the sitting room to find Sirius sitting in a leather recliner, picking his nails in front of the lit fireplace. When he heard them make their way into the toasty room, he glanced up and grinned devilishly.

"Finally, I thought you two had gotten trapped in that room. Judging by the hair and bright red look on both of you, I'm shocked you even surfaced."

Maggie must have appeared stricken because Remus quickly rebutted after glancing at her.

"So funny Pads, now tell me, what have you been doing all day? Giving yourself a manicure?" For the first time Maggie noticed just how pristine his nail beds were. The corners of her mouth twitched. Sirius noticed.

"Be gentle on him Mags, he's not exactly Casanova in looks or experience." He ended with a hearty wink and Maggie burst out laughing. Remus picked up a log sitting innocently at his feet and threw it at his chuckling friend, who in response, gave a lazy flick of his wand and watched as the log exploded into a sea of bubbles which floated about the room. Maggie began to spit as the foam washed over her face, finding its way into her nostrils and mouth.

"Guys, dinner is rea-"Alice poked her head out of the kitchen doorway and froze mid sentence.

"Sirius!" She shrieked. "Where the hell did all these bubbles come from?! Clean them up NOW!" She roared, cutting off his hasty explanation.

"Oh why do you always have to assume it's me? Come on Al, Neville loves them." Sirius said soothingly, gesturing to the infant being cradled in her arms. Neville blinked in wonder, reaching out and trying to grasp the filmy orb drifting across his face. When it popped at his clumsy touch, he let out a startled gasp and began to cry.

"Al?!" Alice sputtered, hoisting the baby so that his head was resting on her shoulder. His short lived tears disappeared into sniffles as she stroked his back.

"As long as you keep making a mess of my house you will refer to me as Mrs. Longbottom!" Remus and Maggie ducked around the puce faced Alice and crept into the kitchen.

Frank sat at the table, tucking into a plate of sauce drenched pasta decorated with sizeable meat balls.

"Oh don't worry about Alice." He said reassuringly in response to Remus's slightly horrified expression. Maggie glanced sideways at him, with a '_this is all your fault_' kind of look.

"Things haven't been going according to plan and with the new baby she's been completely overwhelmed. She just needs to blow off some steam and unfortunately your friend is taking the brunt of it. Poor Sirius." Frank shook his head and speared a meatball.

"Oh I'm sure he's just fine." Remus smirked.

Both Maggie and Remus grabbed plate and began to load them with the simmering food sitting on the stove top.

"Maybe you should get Alice to teach you how to use a stove, or a pot for that matter." Maggie said out of the corner of her mouth, referring to the disastrous breakfast he had attempted to prepare a few days prior.

"Maybe you should ask Sirius how to do your nails." Maggie looked down at the chipped cement colored varnish she had haphazardly applied two weeks ago. She punched him lightly in the arm and sat down at the table with Frank, whose eye brows were raised quite high.

"I'm starving." She sighed, winding the spaghetti around her fork.

"So how's training going?" Frank inquired, shooting a glance between the two of them.

Remus looked up at Maggie whose mouth was full of noodles before answering.

"Really good, she's a fast learner and a pleasure to teach." Maggie had finally managed to swallow the thick mass of pasta and beamed in response to his kind words.

"How long do you think it'll take before she's up and fighting?"

"Oh I wouldn't say anything more than a few months."

A few months? How long was she going to be staying here? Maggie choked slightly on the meatball in her mouth, quickly grabbing her glass of water. She peered over the rim at Frank who seemed to be satisfied with this answer and turned back to his meal. Well at least she knew that she had a few months to get a job. Oh lord, a _job_. She groaned inwardly. She had been working as a waitress in her not so distant muggle days, earning enough tips to pay the bills and afford the beautiful clothes that filled her closet. How was she supposed to integrate into the wizarding job world so quickly?

Sirius and Alice soon joined them, each grabbing a plate and beginning to eat. They both looked slightly frazzled and as Alice placed her son in high chair at the head of the table, Maggie noticed her looking slightly less stressed.

"So-" Maggie began, feeling slightly shy as all eyes turned to her. "When is the next Order meeting?" Everyone paused, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Err…well we don't really know at the moment." Remus replied.

"What? Doesn't Dumbledore tell you?"

"Well that's the problem; Dumbledore hasn't been around much to give us many instructions. We've just been getting by with him dropping by once a month." Alice sighed.

"Yeah I have something like that, it's called a period and to be perfectly honest, it's not all that helpful." Maggie quipped, popping another meatball past her lips. Alice snorted in response and even Frank began to chuckle but the other males at the table looked less impressed. Sirius and Remus could barely contain their awkwardness concerning the female menstrual cycle, both burying their faces into their plates.

For a long time the only sounds made were those of china scraping against glass and the gurgling coming from the small boy sitting to her right. Maggie excused herself after tea and (for her benefit only) coffees were served.

"This is decaff right?" She asked as Alice handed her a mug. Alice glanced down and pursed her lips.

"Umm no." Maggie politely refused and bade everyone goodnight.

As she made her way to her room she could feel the weariness pressing on her bones, sleep lapping at the edges of her conscious. She closed the door flopped down at the foot of her bed, grabbing a magazine from beneath her bed and immersing herself in the glossy pages.

Thanks for reading, be kind and respond please!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Of course I do not own these characters; it should be pretty obvious (well except for Maggie).

It's been taking me a very long time to update but I have been crazy busy lately and this is my first plan free day. Also, this chapter is a shortie (sorry) but I haven't been feeling very inspired lately to write up a long one. But hopefully this weekend I'll write up a few more. Sorry in advance for the awkward sentences and atrocious grammar!

Morning came and Maggie found herself curled up on a throw rug that sat beneath the foot of her bed. Tiny dust motes swirled in front of her eyes, visible due to the late morning light peeking in from behind partially closed curtains. She staggered into a standing position, back knotted and pained from sleeping in such an awkward form. She made her way over to the window and threw open the long drapes, light flooding the small room, making the pastel green walls glow. She rested her forehead against the cool glass, clearing the sleep from her mind and steeling herself for what was probably going to be yet another monotonous day. Suddenly there was a quiet knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Maggie sighed, unhappy that the tranquility of those first few moments of consciousness was broken.

"Remus, I come bearing gifts." Maggie chuckled and bade him entry after making sure her outfit appropriately covered her. He opened the door and paused for a moment, a slightly stricken look on his face. Maggie realized that she must look like a swamp thing; hair matted and wild, mascara smudged around her eyes, her slightly acne prone skin magnified due to lack of make up and the amplitude of light. She could tell the oxford shirt she was wearing was buttoned wrong over top of her old, ratty bicycle shorts. If she wasn't so embarrassed she would have laughed at the state he had caught her in.

"Um you mentioned something about gifts?" She said, cheeks burning. She scanned her peripheral for a hair brush or a robe but could find none.

"Oh yes, well I wasn't sure if you liked tea or coffee…so I brought both." He held up two steaming mugs, smiling sheepishly.

"Oh! Tea please." He handed her the cup, slightly disheartened before staring warily into his own. He could barely hide the disgust that appeared on his face as he took a tentative sip of the bitter concoction. Maggie rolled her eyes and took the drink from him, replacing it with her own. Remus began to protest, saying that it had been a gift and that the coffee was just fine with him.

"God Remus, quite being such a martyr and drink!" She interrupted, bringing the mug to her lips. She took a swig and felt her face shrivel slightly, he wasn't exaggerating, it was _very_ strong.

"Now you know you're only supposed to leave the coffee grounds in for-" Maggie trailed off as she surveyed his shocked face. "What is it? What's wrong!"

"You just **drank** from my cup." He murmured, his expression was one of confusion and disbelief.

"Do you have the flu or dragon pox or something?" She hurriedly wiped her mouth and set down the drink.

"No Maggie, I'm a werewolf remember? Most people don't even make eye contact with me let alone share bodily fluids!" He exclaimed.

"First of all, we did not share bodily fluids; I didn't even drink from the same side." Remus rolled his eyes at her, beginning to retort.

"No no just listen. Second of all, the order makes plenty of eye contact with you and you're not exactly a leper. What you have isn't catching." She picked up the cup and took another mouthful to prove her point.

"Of course everyone in the Order makes eye contact with me, they have to. But I'm talking about in daily life with people who I'm not cordial with. Employers, landlords, the families of friends, coworkers, the list is endless. Basically, anyone who knows about my condition is disgusted by me." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"Those people are all completely ignorant, they don't even know you. I know about your condition and I'm hardly repulsed by you." She faltered for a second, realizing the implications of what she had said but was relieved when he appeared to have hardly noticed.

"You were, when I first told you." The detached tone in his voice unsettled her; she reached out and placed a hand on his arm.

"I consider myself lucky to have you instructing me in lessons. I don't think anyone else would be as amazing as you are. Forget about my reaction because I was obviously being…well an idiot." She finished lamely. Remus stared hard down at her hand till she removed it, suddenly feeling awkward. He turned his gaze up to her and stared into her eyes before breaking into a smile. "Thanks."

"Wait," She said, grabbing his shoulders and peering at him, he stiffened noticeably, acutely aware of her touch.

"You have a dimple on your left cheek," She breathed. "That's adorable."

His face turned red as his cheeks burned. He cleared his throat and stepped away from her reach, rubbing his left cheek vigorously.

"Most people don't really notice it, or point it out at least." He stated, bringing his calloused palm away from his face. Maggie just smiled happily at him and took another sip.

"Well I guess I'm much more aware of facial characteristics then most people you've met." She raised an eyebrow, teasing him. He chose not to take the bait, already feeling more alien in the situation than he ever would have liked to. She watched him shrug his shoulders and give a close lipped smile.

"Uhh well thanks for the coffee." She said, hoisting up the mug and tilting her head towards the door. Remus recognized the cue to leave and said the usual 'no problems' before exiting her sun lit room.

"Oh and Maggie, I'm hardly repulsed by you either." Remus gave a cheeky grin as he closed the door, leaving Maggie red in the face and groaning inwardly.

A cute little interaction between the two of them, I'm thinking that I want to expand on each of them more as individual characters, so that they aren't defined by each other, if that even makes sense. So I will be revising some of my already written chapters (The story's almost completely done in my notebook) to fit in more with that theme. I'm not quite sure if many people are enjoying this story, I hope you guys are! Although I have received two wonderful reviews, they may not be much but they do warm my heart =)

Anyways, please review! Any and all criticism is appreciated, just no flames please!


	6. Chapter 6

Sitting in this coffee shop, drinking a caramel cappuccino, sitting across from this man, this was Maggie's personal hell. The shop wasn't even that bad, hell even the frappucino was pretty damn good, maybe it was just the company. Maggie peered over the soggy rim of her paper cup, assessing her companion while his attention was diverted. They looked different and she was eternally grateful for that, but it was his voice. Well actually it was _his _voice but it was in him when it should be in _him_. But some things just never really turn out the way they are expected to. **Kyle** was the shitty kid, had always been, yet it was Chris who had-

"Maggie stop staring at me." Maggie tipped her head down, hiding behind her hair as she took a tentative sip, flushing at the annoyance in his tone.

"Listen, you didn't have to come down here if you didn't want to, we've never exactly gotten along. This doesn't have to be a tradition or anything." He sighed and ran a hand through his red hair. They did have the same hair though, she mused, although Kyle's was admittedly much better looking at its shoulder sweeping length. But then again it was probably high maintenance where as Chris had always preferred the wash and go approach. Maybe this is why she hated Kyle, because he made her remember stupid things.

"No, it's alright. I think it should be tradition. Like each year we should come here and talk about him. Keep him memory alive, you know?" She brushed her hair over her shoulder and studied his reaction.

"I mean it's not like anyone else will." She added quietly.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. "See it's when you say things like that, that just pisses people off." She was quiet again, clenching her fists beneath the table. There was a long silence, each looking in a different direction entirely.

"Alright," Kyle began icily. "If we're going to reminisce then you start. Enthrall me." She shot him a filthy look before speaking.

"I'm not a TV, I can't just spit out information on command."

"A TV?" He raised his eyebrows in confusion. "That's that muggle thing right?"

"Just never mind." She said, rolling her eyes. How could she have forgotten that they had grown up one hundred and twenty percent wizard, no muggle influences in their family, at least till she came along.

"I'll start then if you're going to be a pain in the ass. His favorite colour was turquoise, his favorite song was Dream on, and his favorite thing was you." He finished bitterly.

"You could at least pretend not to be jealous." She removed the cardboard grip from the cup and twirled it on her finger. He glared down at it, jaw twitching.

"I am not** jealous**. I'm his brother for fuck's sake. I grew up with him. You're not all that you know how about you come back down to earth and join all the good people." He gestured around him, despite the fact that only two other people sat in the shop, far from their table.

"Fine here's a tidbit of information for you about Chris. Two of his toes were joined, like webbed or something like that." Maggie set the cardboard ring back onto the table and began to crush it against the hard plastic surface.

"Oh yeah..." He mumbled, peering at her without hostility for the first time since they had met at the infamous shop, was that look curiosity? "I had forgotten about that, which ones were they again?"

"His second and third on his left foot, I'm surprised you didn't remember that, didn't you two used to _bathe_ together?" His eyes were now focused on her fidgety hands, flattening the material between them; he was so absorbed that he almost missed the jibe,_ almost_.

"Well sorry that I don't remember back to when I was three, I never realized till now just how vital those memories are." His eyes narrowed, his sarcasm barely contained. She cracked a smile before turning her gaze back to the cardboard in her hands. She ran her fingers over the bumps and diamonds imbedded in it before beginning to tear it into smaller and smaller pieces. Kyle had always made her nervous, especially since Chris had died. His gaze was always unsettling and his words were more often than not, cruel. Kyle sighed, unsure if he would get a peep out of her again for the rest of their, hopefully short, time together.

"I wasn't though." His head shot up, wow had she actually said something without being forced? He noticed she was **still** tearing up the fucking paper thing though.

"What? You weren't what?" She sighed and pushed her chair away from the table, stretching her tired arms. Once she had finished she returned her chair to its previous position and ran her hands over her face.

"I wasn't his favorite, you were." She gathered the torn bits into a pile on the table, pretending to cut them up with her finger as if it was a pile of cocaine.

"Uhh…except you were. Are you seriously doing this Maggie? Are you honestly doing the whole pity parade?"

"I'm being serious; just trust me I was far from his favorite. And no I'm not doing some 'pity parade' thank you very much." She sighed yet again and stared up at his incredulous face.

"Come on, give it up already. All he ever did was talk about you and how much he absolutely adored everything you did." His tone held an edge, warning her to stop arguing, to just take the compliment.

"You're wrong." She replied, firmly.

"Oh yeah, then prove it." He snapped, leaning back in his chair.

"No, I don't have too; I don't have to prove anything to you." Maggie felt like a child arguing a bully, she began to revert back to her playground days.

"Maggie just spit it out already, just say why I was his favorite and I'll leave you alone. Although what ever you're going to say will probably be completely delusional and retarded like everything else-"

"He was going to leave me." Maggie had stopped fidgeting, instead her hands were now resigned in her lap, curled and useless. Kyle's mind reeled in utter disbelief.

"Maggie," He said gently. "You must have it mixed up, Chris adored you."

She looked up at his, capturing his eyes with her own. He noticed they were red rimmed.

"I don't have it mixed up; he was packing his bags when they found us. I told him I loved him and that I wanted to marry him but he didn't feel the same, so he called it quits and left. Or at least he tried to." She finished simply, brushing a hand across her cheek.

There was a long silence, longer than any of the ones preceding it as the two of them sat, so close physically but galaxies away in their own private thoughts.

"That's how they found us." She said quietly. His head snapped up, giving her his full attention. He raised his eye brows when she didn't continue.

"Care to elaborate?"

_No _she thought angrily but did as he said none the less.

"I came home from work to find him packing and I got mad, furious actually. I began to flip out and scream and he was yelling back, telling me that he didn't want to be with me anymore etcetera etcetera. But it was when I asked him if he was seeing another woman; he just gave me this look of disgust." She hiccupped and paused before continuing. "And then he told me that he was leaving me for his own sanity, not to be with some girl so I just lost it. I tried to fire some hex at him but he ducked and it smashed through the window. He began to yell and call me crazy but one of them was right out there, on the street just walking by and they heard. Next thing I know, my door has exploded and I'm being dragged into my back yard by my hair and all I can see is Chris being pulled behind me and I'm so _scared. _They didn't even bother to disapparate; they just killed him in front of me. I convinced them that Dumbledore was on his way and they left. I was all alone with his body and… and this half packed suitcase sitting on my bed." Kyle handed her a napkin to stem the current of tears running down her cheeks, she gave a strained smile and began to blot away the moisture.

"God I feel like such a pathetic little girl, crying in front of you and making a huge scene. No wonder you can't stand me." She attempted a chuckled before burying her head in her hands. Kyle reached across the table and gripped her shoulder.

"My brother was a grade A asshole if that's how he treated you. I could and still can tell how much you loved him and to be perfectly honest I was always jealous about what you guys had. He ruined that and it's his fault he died, not yours."

Maggie knew he was only trying to comfort her but his kindness wasn't unappreciated.

"It's not good to speak ill of the dead."

"Come on Mags, be serious." She winced at the nick name.

"Alright, thank you. I can honestly say that's the kindest thing you've ever said to me. Also don't ever call me Mags again." He smirked at her response. He had always been good at distracting. They both finished their drinks in silence, occasionally catching each others eye and smiling. This was the first good anniversary of his death, although there hadn't been many, and yet already both were feeling better. It would take a long time to heal the wounds left by his death and maybe neither of them would do it together, but this was a start. A start was always good, they both decided.

"Well this has been lovely, but unfortunately I must depart. You see I have this thing called a **job**. Really complicated, you see it means that I unlike you-"

"Hardy har har, very funny." Maggie pursed her lips as his trademark smirk returned the one that made her lip curl. "So we go back to hating each other or what?"

"Sounds good to me." He said, stretching his arms over his head.

"Good." She grinned. Sucking in a deep breath and blowing it out against the small mound of brown paper on the table, Maggie watched as tan confetti rained over Kyle's decreasingly smug face. He soon sat, snorting paper and shaking the small flakes from his hair.

"You are such a child." He snarled as she stood up to leave.

"And you sir are an arrogant ass. See you next year." And with that she left, already anticipating their next meeting.

**Authors note:**

**Two in two days, holy moly that must be a record for me. Now this was just some background information on our dear Maggie and her deceased lover. Don't worry though, Kyle is far from a romantic interest of hers. To be honest I hate hate hate when romantic triangles are used to spice up a plot. Instead why not use good writing or a well developed plot to make a story interesting? How about some decent characters? But I digress, thank you all for reading and (hopefully!) reviewing, hopefully I'll be updating again soon! Also, sorry if the grammar and sentence structure sucks, I've had this idea stuck in my head all day and now when I'm exhausted and bleary eyed seems to be the only time I can actually type it out, so therefore not much editing. BUT ANYWAYS please review as always!**


	7. Chapter 7

Maggie trotted along the slick pavement, cursing her luck and pulling the woolen cap she had thankfully packed, tighter against her skull. Unfortunately, this was not the first deluge she had been caught in during the day. On the way to the store the sky had burst open, drenching everything in sight. She had stood in line with her meager groceries shivering, lips blue and sputtering at the slightly bemused cashier.

"Ah yes!" She sighed when the small house came into sight. Scrambling over the cobble stone path and up to the door, she knocked upon it, silently praying that she wouldn't have to spend anymore time in the fierce winds searching for her wand. Maggie began to kick the door, gently at first but with increasing urgency. Still no body answered and her fingers began to shake.

"Alice open the fucking door!" She shrieked against the thick wood, she gave a final booming kick for good measure. This was the last time she ever did a favor for that ungrateful woman, she thought furiously and dropped the sopping bags onto the step.

"Sorry about tha- Maggie! Jesus are you alright?" Maggie's head whipped around to find Remus standing in the open doorway, gaping at her.

"What? Don't I look ravishing?" She said flatly, struggling to contain her fury. 'It's not Remus you're mad at.' She repeated to herself.

"Oh well of- of course I just mean that…." Alice began to pick up the torn bags and pushed some into his arms, only half listening to his stuttering.

"Well it's just that…you look a little wet." Maggie paused in the doorway as he ushered her in and began to laugh.

"A little? My aren't you observant today?" He was on her heels the whole way to the kitchen, head down. 'And there you go, letting out your anger on someone who really doesn't deserve it. Does it make you feel good?' She slammed the leaking parcel onto the counter and spun around to face him.

"Sorry I'm being a total bitch but I've just had a really shitty day and I'm really tired and hormonal yadda yadda yadda. Girl thing you know?" She finished with a lame smile, hoping he would forgive all with the mention of hormones and help her put the food away.

"Well that is not a combination strictly reserved for girls." His eyebrows were raised in challenge and it took a moment for her to catch on. Now she noticed the dark circles smudged crudely beneath his eyes, the thick layers he was wearing in an otherwise toasty house and the gaunt look his face had adopted. Her eyebrows knitted together as she began to tick off days on numb fingers. Remus's chuckle was hollow as he reached forward and grabbed her hand.

"Two days." His smile was small, not showing teeth and going no where near the eyes. Her mouth a formed small 'O' as she glanced down at their still clasped hands, she had expected his hand to warms hers, to engulf the numb appendages in heat. But on the contrary his were as cold, if not colder than hers. Suddenly her palm was empty and she looked up to him slipping both hands into his pockets, looking slightly embarrassed.

"So, do you need any help?" The way in which he rocked back and forth on his heels was a dead give away to the nonplussed front he placed between them. Maggie felt a small wave of disappointment.

"No, you should really go rest I can put these away myself."

"Maggie there is a sizeable puddle beneath your feet and you look quite like a drowned cat, in the best way of course." He added quickly. Maggie glanced down at her feet and saw that there was indeed a small sea collecting at her toes.

"Well this is revenge for Alice not opening the door fast enough I guess. How about we just leave it here for her to find hmm?" Remus chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.

"Okay, deal. Now I'm going to put the food away and you're going upstairs to change. I can handle produce." He said, peeling back a piece of soaked brown paper bag and observing the contents within. Maggie's protests were weak and quickly abandoned as he shooed her out of the kitchen, towards the stairs.

"Come back when you don't smell like wet dog!" He called over his retreating shoulder. Maggie was utterly shocked.

"Look whose talking!" She cried back, grinning at his retreating figure. His reply was a loud guffaw followed by quiet chuckles.

Two can play at that game, they both thought to themselves, grinning wickedly.

"Well look at this!" Remus's head whipped to the right, nearly cutting off his thumb in the process. Maggie stood in the doorway, damp from her shower but at least partially dry and clean. Remus stood at the granite counter, chopping celery in front of a small radio that appeared to be playing jazz.

"I am not sure as to whether you are commenting on my illustrious cooking skills or the fact that you are bathed. I think I will go with the latter seeing as that is the only one out of the two that is even remotely shocking." His smirk widened as her mouth fell open, her mind reeling. Who was this sharp tongued man before her? Clearly not the werewolf room mate she had come to know.

"Excuse me sir but what is that that I smell?"

"Clearly soap, I know it can be overpowering the first few times of use." Both grins widened as she stepped closer and laughed.

"Nope I'm pretty sure that is….why is that eau de body odour? You must tell me where you get it so that I can avoid that store at all costs." It was Remus's turn to snort and roll his eyes at her.

"Damn Mags, that cuts…deep." His eyes screwed up in an imitation of pain and he continued to chop. She beamed at the name he had called her and quickly retorted.

"Oh run out of sarcastic things to say funny man? Yeah that's right get back to chopping your vegetables." She reached towards the cutting board and grabbed a slice of bell pepper.

"Hey! I'll chop off your finger next time." He waggled the knife at her. She wiggled her brows and reached towards the board once more, this time grabbing a halved cherry tomato.

"I'm warning you." He mock growled, watching her closely. She raised the fruit up to her parted lips in challenge. He opened his mouth to issue another warning but quickly forgot what he was planning to say as the small tomato bounced off his nose. He glanced back up at Maggie, who was quivering with stifled laughter.

"Did you just throw a vegetable at me?" It took a few seconds for her to respond.

"No my dear Remus, tomato's are fruits. See, they have seeds." She lifted the other half from the counter and placed it at eye level.

"Vegetables don't have seeds." She finished, gnawing on her bottom lip to keep from bursting into giggles.

"Oh yeah?" He questioned, face expressionless. Maggie worried slightly that she had pushed him too far, that this flirtatious banter would end and that he would resign himself back to his room when the fun had only just begun.

"Carrots are vegetables right?" She snorted at his question.

"Please tell me you're jokin-BLAGHH REMUS!" Her derisive comment had been cut off by a handful of thin orange slices assailing her. She ran a hand through her damp strands, dislodging carrot pieces as she glowered at the man before her.

"I'll kick your ass."

"Oh really?" He asked, grinning.

"Yeah, I'll do it with the whole fucking food pyramid. Meat, legumes, everything." She reached for the closest cabinet and took out a box of crackers.

"Now Maggie," He said, backing away. "Be reasonable, we don't want Alice to give us hell for destroying her kitchen."

"Oh these? I was just hungry. Why must you assume I was going to sink down to your level of immaturity?" Her smirk mirrored his as she withdrew the thin wafer from the box and began to eat it.

"Just a funny suspicion I got when you told me that you were going to' kick my ass with the whole fucking food pyramid'." He tilted his head towards her as he resumed cutting.

"Wow you really shouldn't make wild assumptions." Maggie grabbed a pot from beneath the oven and began to boil water. There were a few minutes of comfortable silence as they both prepared their separate dishes, the energy high slowly subsiding.

"Okay, I'm making pasta and I'm assuming that you're making a salad?" Remus turned towards Maggie, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Uhh actually I have no idea what I'm making; I just assumed that chopping something would be productive in the grand scheme of things." Maggie glanced over his shoulder at the veritable mountain of chopped produce stacked on the cutting board. She began to laugh.

"Baby steps Lupin, baby steps. Okay just dump all of those in a bowl, sprinkle on some feta, a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and we'll call it Greek salad alright?"

"Well, when in Rome…" They both snorted at his comment and returned to their respective areas.

"You know being around you is like being around a thesaurus. Grab me some the eggs and bell peppers." Remus obliged as he dug the blue carton out of a limp bag and handed it to her, along with a handful of finely chopped peppers before responding.

"Because I know big words? Because I articulate?"

"Partially. Well I mean a sarcastic, quiet thesaurus that is chock full of witty replies and brilliant one liners." Maggie laughed quietly at her own comment, expecting him to join in. But all was silent on the Remus front. She hazarded a glance over her shoulder in his direction. He was facing her, arms crossed over his chest and eyes narrowed. She turned towards him and stood, eyebrows raised.

"What?" She was watching him suspiciously; unsure as to how she had offended him if that was the case.

"I'm not quiet." Maggie began to laugh.

"What?" He demanded, bristling.

"Remus even you telling me that you're not quiet was quiet! Come on it's who you are. You're quiet, a bit reserved, really smart, witty and shockingly amusing. There's nothing wrong with it." He studied her, head tilted and jaw propped slightly to the side. He sighed and ran a hand through his sandy hair, breaking his previously frozen stance. He turned around and pulled a large bowl from the cabinet above his head and began scooping handfuls of salad into it. Maggie stood for a moment longer, unsure as to what a reasonable reaction to his cool demeanor would be. She chose to imitate him and turned towards her pot of pasta.

She grabbed a clean fork from the sink to her left and fished out a noodle. She bit off a small piece before throwing the rest at the cupboard to her right. The spaghetti skidded slightly before clinging to the white washed wood. She plucked it off the polished surface and threw it out. The pasta wasn't quite al dente yet but her patience was all but dried up. From her peripheral she could see his face turn a millimeter, studying her curiously before dropping back to his mixing. A wave of irritation flooded through her as she drained, strained and re arranged the noodles into a glass bowl. She cracked in three eggs, the handful of bell peppers and a cup of shredded parmesan and began to stir. Once the dish had reached the ideal creamy consistency and her arm felt particularly sore, she turned towards her silent partner. She was surprised to find him watching her and quickly averted her eyes. It was as if all of their camaraderie had evaporated with his silence.

"Can you go get everyone and tell them dinner's ready?" She asked politely, glancing at the clock above his head. He nodded once and left the kitchen. She could hear him pad up the stairs and let out a shaky breath.

"Delicious." Frank said jovially, reclining on his chair and grinning appreciatively at Maggie. She returned the smile and reached for the bottle of butter beer in front of her.

"Yes Maggie, thank you so much for dinner. I have no idea what happened to us!" Alice laughed, glancing over at her husband.

"One minute I'm feeding the baby, the next thing I know Remus is waking us up at six o clock telling us food is served!"

"Well," Maggie began, her smile subsiding slightly. "I can't take all the credit, Remus helped a lot." She cocked her head towards him slightly.

"Didn't realize you were a chef mate." Sirius scoffed, grinning at his friend. Remus shrugged and glanced back down at his food, narrowing his eyes dubiously at the sweating glass of water beside his plate. Everyone shifted in their seats slightly.

"Well since you two made us such a feast, the three of us will clean." Alice chirped, beginning to gather the empty plates around her.

"Hey!" Sirius protested. "What about that Emmeline broad? Why doesn't she do a spot of cleaning?"

"Because Emmeline moved out two days ago Sirius, she found her own place." Frank was smiling slightly and shaking his head. Sirius pursed his lips.

"Fine." He gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes and stood up with a flourish.

Remus also rose and left the room quickly, slipping beneath the radar as focus was turned towards his exuberant friend. But Maggie rose and followed him into the dimly lit living room and found him escaping up the stairs.

"Remus?" He stopped on the third step, hands bunched into pale fists. He turned slowly and faced her, eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yes." His voice was strained but gentle. She began to chew her lip and peered up at him, phrasing her question carefully.

"Umm well I haven't had a proper lesson in about a week and a half now," His eyes closed and he drew in a deep breath.

"Maggie my transformation is two days away, I really can't handle this right now."

"No but that's the thing. It could just be for an hour and you could sit down the whole time. I'm getting really rusty." She searched his face for an answer.

"Please?" She was slightly repulsed by the desperate note in her tone but persisted.

"Alright." He said quietly, running his hand through his fringe. "Meet me in the office in half an hour." She nodded happily and watched as he retreated up the stairs, walking quickly to his room.


	8. Chapter 8

"Square your shoulders and focus." Remus recited tiredly from his chair. She glanced over at him and nodded eager to please. She sucked in a deep breath, imaging it rushing to her toes and finger tips as he had instructed before raising her wand.

"Metilia!" She cried, flicking her wrist and charging forward slightly. But her balance was off and as she took the fatal step, her arm jerked. Instead of hitting the straw stuffed dummy placed feet away, the yellow stream of light hit a mirror that hung inconspicuously beside a tall bookshelf. The spell rocketed back towards her and knocked her back forcefully. She landed with a thud and rolled over onto her stomach, retching and panting against the coarse carpet. A hand was on her back instantly, pulling her up till she sat on the floor, breathing raggedly.

"God damn mirror, huh?" She cracked a small smile between laborious breaths. But Remus wasn't listening; his eyes were unfocussed and cloudy. He rolled up the sleeve on her right arm and she gasped as his fingers ghosted over the wound. She glanced down and saw a ribbon of blood flowing down her pale arm and dripping onto her sprawled legs. He pressed his wand to the damaged skin and muttered something. She hissed as the cut burned, trying to twist her arm away but he held it in an iron grasp. He mopped away the blood with a handkerchief (once she had stopped fidgeting) that had seemingly appeared from thin air and ran his fingers once again over the now pink, puckered line.

"It will scar." He said, voice gravelly and strained.

"Which isn't saying much, I get marked up easily. Atleast now I have an impressive battle wound." He reached up towards her face and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Are you okay?" Maggie sat up straighter and turned her face towards his.

"Yeah." She whispered, watching him watch her.

His hand slid down to the crook of her neck and stilled before tracing a calloused thumb across her jaw bone. She shuddered and inched closer towards him, completely captivated by his sudden change. His other hand gripped her shoulder as he pressed his face into her hair and slid down so his fore head pressed \against hers. She gazed at him through half lidded eyes. There was a pleasant hum filling her ears as her mind and body propelled her into an inevitability. Hadn't they been tempting fate with their cute banter and flirtatious jokes? Excitement and longing sparked and crackled in the air surrounding them.

"You smell amazing." His chest rumbled and she raised her hands to grip his lapels. His hot breath washed over her lips and she squirmed slightly. His mouth lowered and pressed against hers. They both sat, stock still for a second, till the shock subsided and the lust took its place. He gripped her hair and back as his lips, teeth and tongue devoured her. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she reciprocated eagerly. His hands slid down her sides and rested against her hips, thumbs rubbing circles across the protruding bones. She moaned into his mouth and ground her hips against his hands. They were frenzied and completely possessed by the moment, till her bit her. Her lower lip rested between his teeth and he sank down into it, **hard**. She gasped when the sharp taste of blood drifted across her tongue and stiffened in his hold. Within seconds she was shoved backwards and he was standing upright, forehead in his palm.

"Are you alright?" He asked for the second time that night. Except this time she was in too much shock to reply. His hands reached up to grip his hair as he paced.

"It's hard for me to control…when it's this close to- I'm so sorry!" His breath was ragged and he his hands were tearing at his head.

"Remus it's fine, it was only a little blood it doesn't even matter." Maggie watched him, bewildered and slightly scared.

"Of course it matters! I hurt you!" He was sputtering now, face bright red and eyes half crazed. Her breath caught in her throat at his outburst, her muscles tensed as she scooted away from him subconsciously. His jaw tightened and he looked down. His hand swept through his hair one last time before he turned on his heel and practically ran from the room. The door slammed behind him, leaving much fear and rejection in it's reverberating wake. Maggie stood up shakily and reached up to her mouth. It was really only a flesh wound and had stopped bleeding almost as quickly as it began. She quelled the fear of being infected by telling herself that he was in his human form, that she was immune to his virus at this point and time. Clearly it wasn't _just_ his virus she should be wary of.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sooo I guess the first thing I should say is sorry for the huge gaps in updating! I was on vacation in BC for a few weeks there and couldn't exactly publish a chapter from my ipod. School is starting soon and my posting will most likely be getting more and more sporadic but just hang in there! I know no one really reads these things so haba blah blah baloo poo. Err anyways…this chapter is full of angsty goodness ( well as angsty as I can right anyways, I really really hate awkwardness in any form of life or media) but I will finish this crap at the bottom of the chapter. Enjoy!**

Maggie squinted across the dimly lit dashboard and watched as the first slow rays of early morning sun transformed the sky. She knew he would be up soon, trudging across the fauna he has trampled the previous evening. Fifteen long minutes later she saw his head poking through the thick brush, bobbing as he walked. She sucked in a deep breath and opened the driver's side door. She walked around to the other side of the car and leaned against the cool metal frame, tugging at loose threads as she waited. He emerged from the trees looking confused, adjusting the waist band of the too big pants he sported. When his gaze finally met hers he stopped cold, hand still hooked through his khaki belt loop. His expression changed from horror to fear to anger in a matter of seconds. Maggie chewed her cheek violently, waiting for him to speak. When he finally did, it sent a chill through her spine.

"_What_ are you doing here?" His jaw was locked, body tensed.

"I don't know." She said quietly. Before his arrival she had had a speech planned but now seeing him so vulnerable made her feel ashamed, ashamed that she had exploited his time of weakness for her own gain. He opened his mouth twice before turning his head sharply to the side, cheeks darkening. Maggie tried not to be shocked by his appearance but it was difficult. His exposed skin was marred with dried blood and thin slices trailing and winding deep into his clothes. Said clothes were now lightly speckled with wet blood, appearing from the inside out as his fresh wounds opened and stretched with his new skin. He turned back and saw her appalled expression. His blush deepened.

"I'm sorry." She sputtered. "I- I shouldn't have come. I didn't realize it was like this."

"Yeah you shouldn't have." He said quietly, extracting his wand, face burning with humiliation and pain.

"No Remus please, let me drive you home! Don't apparate in this condition!" She blurted, watching his wand in trepidation.

"My magical abilities are perfectly fine Maggie." His voice was cold as ice.

"J-just let me make it up to you. Let me give you a ride home, please." She watched him sway slightly, clearly drained and exhausted from his recent restless nights. He ran a hand through his hair before nodding tiredly. They opened the car doors and slid into the faux leather seats. Maggie hurriedly revved the engine and sped away from the forest, barely paying attention to the road flying beneath her.

"How'd you find me."

"Sirius told me you'd be here." _I'll have to apologize to Sirius_, she though abysmally.

"Oh." He was silent for a moment. She sped through a stop sign and almost missed her exit as she waited on egg shells for him to say something, anything else.

"Why did you come." Each question was directly as a statement and this one was delivered so bluntly that she winced.

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened a few days ago. I mean I've been thinking about it a lot and you refuse to even look at me so I decided I'd have to do something drastic-"

"Red light Maggie."

"Oh right." She slammed her foot on the rubber pedal and they both lurched forward, caught roughly by their seat belts. Remus bit back a groan.

"Anyways, there are just some thing's I really felt I needed to tell you." She was quiet for a moment and he gave her an expectant look. She blushed.

"Well I mean, okay I'm just going to come out and say it. Remus I like you a lot and not just as a friend but as more. I haven't been able to stop thinking about what happened and I don't regret it at all but you do and I'm really sorry if I forced you into doing something you didn't want to do. But I think that you do like me because you initiated it," Remus gripped his seat tightly, closing his eyes and willing her to just stop.

"I mean maybe you were just comforting me and I took it the wrong way but you have no right to- to-"Her voice wobbled and wavered now. He opened his eyes and watched her. She bit down on her lip hard and hunched against the steering column, eyes focused on the pavement before her.

"You've really been the only friend I've had in three years which sounds pathetic I know. I mean you've been surrounded by your three best friends since you were eleven but all of my friends were Chris's friends and they all just seemed to think-" She broke off, shoulders shaking slightly. Remus watched in abject horror as she leaned back and wiped her cheeks with the cuff of her sleeve.

"If you want to pretend like the kiss never happened then whatever that's fine by me but please don't ignore me. It's not fair. I didn't do anything wrong. I don't understand why you hate me." Her face was turned as far from him as possible as she tried to hide the cracks and breaks in her voice. It really was pathetic, to be sitting here holding a pity parade and crying in front of the man you just admitted you were quite fond of, she acknowledged this truth miserably.

"No no Maggie I don't hate you-"He began hesitantly.

"Then why? Why won't you look me in the goddamned _face_ when we're in the same room? Why are you so cold to me now?" She was clearly angry, and Remus flattened himself against the seat.

"I-I feel horrible about what I did. It's just so** revolting**. The idea that I couldn't control myself enough to just-"

"So kissing me is revolting huh?" She interrupted again, jaw muscle twitching in anger.

"No nothing like that! I like you too, probably too much. It's just when it gets so close to the full moon it gets hard to control myself. I act on instinct and I mean the way you _smell_..." He finished lamely clearly mortified at what he'd just revealed.

"What does smell have to do with it?" She accidentally flicked on the turn signal and angrily jerked it back into place, thoroughly annoyed with the way her body was betraying her emotions; first crying then fury now spasms of irritation.

"I can smell you, and your pheromones." She straightened in her seat, ridged with embarrassment, face turning puce.

"Oh."

"You ummm… uh you give off a lot. Of pheromones I mean. It gets pretty difficult to be in a poorly ventilated room with you sometimes." _Kill me now kill me now kill me now. Shit shit shit._

"Oh." He was relieved to see her face dry and free of tears but he knew that he had to explain.

"I couldn't look at you anymore because I knew that if I did, that I would have to explain myself. I thought that if I ignored you long enough that you would just pretend it didn't happen and forget about it too. I know I'm a coward and I'm sorry that I left you in that room alone after what happened." He twisted at the flannel shirt covering his thin chest. It was five sizes too large and smelled of baby. He assumed it was Frank's.

"I don't know how to be an adult about this." She said after a while, honking longer than necessary at a car slowly passing in front of her.

"Chris is the only man I've ever been involved with and back then courting was all passing notes and trips to Hogsmeade. I don't know how to be an adult about this whole thing."

"Maggie I don't think we shouldn't lose our heads over a little crush, being adults about this would be to just forget about it. I mean it won't be too difficult. We will just be strictly professional and friendly to each other." Maggie now knew why they called it a crush. It felt as if an elephant had sat on her chest, **ow**.

"Yeah, totally." She shook her head slightly, banishing the conflicting emotions raging war across her lobes. She leaned her head back against the head rest and sighed.

"Rejection sucks."

"Yeah," He replied, turning his gaze back to his own foggy window. "It does."

**Look at all the unresolved-ness. Doesn't it suck? If I was a reader I'd be annoyed with the lack of progress these two frustrating characters seem to be making. Actually as the author I am a little frustrated. But then I remember that I already have 90% of the story completed and then life isn't so bad. But I digress, thank you as ever for reading my humble little story and if you can find it in your heart to REVIEW that would be muchly appreciated. I do love constructive criticism and any form of feed back really pushes me to update faster. I love all of you who favorite this story and set alerts for it. I bid you adieu!**


	10. Chapter 10

It had been a week or so since Maggie and Remus's little "chat" and things were, well, awkward to say the least. After avoiding eye contact for the first two days, they currently had an unspoken agreement to be as formal and stiff as possible around each other. Just thinking about it made Maggie get a powerful urge to obliviate herself.

"This house is too small." She grumbled, attempting to place the soft rubber nipple of a bottle into Neville's mouth. "Also your baby is a total pain."

"That's just because you're sending him negative energy, trying being nice for once." Alice said, peeking over her shoulder as she scrubbed a pot. "Also this house isn't too small thank you very much."

Maggie furrowed her brow as she stared hard at the small swaddled infant in her arms. She put the bottle of milk back down on the table and huffed.

"I'm not going to send positive energy to your baby; he's not a plant for Merlin's sake! What do you want me to do next, play him some Bach?" She crossed her legs and leaned against the smooth back of her chair.

"Har-har. Oh, that reminds me!" Alice whipped around, sending suds flying. "I know a woman who runs a small book shop and she's hiring!" Maggie raised an eyebrow in question, as Alice flashed her an expectant look. Maggie sighed and rolled her eyes as she caught onto what small woman in front of her was implying.

"I don't do books Alice." Maggie replied lazily. Alice pursed her lips and propped a hand on her hip.

"Well as long as you live in my house, you will "do books" if that means having a job. You need to get out of here, I'm sick of having you around all the time." She turned back to the copper pot and began to scrub with renewed vigour.

Unfortunately, Alice was right. Spending two months stuck in a house was enough to make anyone begin to go insane; sometimes Maggie even thought that she would stab someone, key word sometimes. Despite all of this, working around books was not an option, not even close to one.

"Besides, it would make you well educated and cultured to work in a book store. All you ever do it read fashion magazines, your brain is going to rot." She tapped her wand against the metal brim and waited till the bubbles and moisture had disappeared before heaving it onto the counter top. The small, fiery woman perfectly embodied everyone's least favourite aunt. Who insisted on a bed time of six thirty and only bought diabetic treats. She turned around again, this time leaning against the damp edge of the sink and patiently waited for Maggie to reply.

"You can't mother me Alice; I'm four months older than you. Besides, it's not like being a domestic diva is exactly enriching." Maggie shifted Neville in her arms and reached for the warm bottle again. Alice stormed over and snatched up the glass cylinder. "Stop being such a brat Maggie, we can't support you for forever. You need to get out of the house and get a job, earn some money!"

Maggie stood up abruptly, holding the small boy to her chest. "I don't hear you saying this to anyone else! Because in case your memory is a little fucked up, there are three other people currently living in this house whose last names aren't Longbottom!" Totally bewildered at the sudden attack, Maggie took a small step back as soon as the words left her lips.

"Well first of all, Sirius is currently working on an assignment for Dumbledore and second of all Remus is a Werewolf for Merlin's sake!"

"Oh so just because he's a werewolf means he gets excused from being a functioning member of society? What about me huh?" It was becoming increasingly difficult to control her anger. Maggie was not famed for being cool headed in the least, hell even at this moment her hands were shaking and the edges of her vision began to blur.

The wind seemed to leave Alice's sails. Her shoulders slumped and she began to slowly shake her head. "Grief is a road bump Maggie, not a get out of jail free card." There was a long moment of silence as each woman stood, one being filled with a burning anger while the other with pity. Alice reached over and carefully extracted Neville from Maggie's shoulder.

Maggie didn't remember leaving the kitchen, yelling at Sirius when he tried to recite a dirty limerick or stomping out the door but suddenly she was outside, punching the brick exterior of the house. It was frustrating, to be angered so easily. Maggie had always been a right-fighter, truly believing that her opinion was the only correct one, to have someone truly prove her wrong, insult her and be completely correct at the same time was infuriating.

One of her fingers cracked loudly and she pulled it back, gasping. Her chapped knuckles were dripping blood and one finger was bent oddly. She groaned, closing her eyes and leaning against the cold iron railing. Her hands felt as though they had been doused in acid, her right in particular whose middle finger was throbbing.

"Maggie?" She opened her eyes and wouldn't you know, Remus was staring at her curiously from the bottom of the cement steps.

She cleared her throat loudly. "Yeah I just hurt my hand." She said lamely, flashing a small smile. He raised his eye brows and made his way up the steps. His eyes seemed trained on her cheeks and she realized she was crying. Her face suddenly grew hot as she reached up and scrubbed her face with her unharmed wrists. "When I get mad I cry, don't worry about it."

He hesitated for a moment, eyes boring into hers before glancing down at her hands. She tried to shake her long sleeves down over them but he grabbed hold before she could.

"Merlin, what happened here?" He asked quietly, inspecting her ravaged appendage.

"Just getting out a little pent up anger." Her heart was hammering; it was a struggle to keep her breathing at a normal pace with him so close. "Well I can see that," He paused for a moment, still holding her hand. "Aren't you going to heal it?"

She smiled sheepishly, "We haven't gotten to that spell yet, I can't quite remember the wrist movement." He nodded heavily and extracted his wand.

"Episkey." She gasped and pulled her hand out of his grasp instinctively. He shuffled his feet awkwardly and dropped his hands down by his sides.

"Sorry," She mouthed, placing her other hand in his. He repeated the spell and it took all of her will power not to cry out again.

"God it feels like I just buried my hands in coals." She groaned, rubbing her previously broken finger. He nodded slightly and tucked his wand into his back pocket. "Thank you though," She said earnestly. "I really do appreciate it and to be honest I'm kinda embarrassed that you had to see me being all anger management."

"Oh don't worry, we all have our days. I mean your fits of anger can't really compare to mine."

"Did Remus Lupin just make a were wolf joke?" They both broke out into grins and Remus ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Well I mean we do have senses of humour."

There was a beat of awkward silence before Maggie realized how cold it was. She looked down at her bare feet and noted that she had forgotten to grab a pair in her haste.

"It's pretty cold; do you want to head inside?" Remus asked suddenly. She bit down on her lip and curled her toes slightly in thought.

"I don't know I kind of made an ass out of myself in there." He surveyed her for a moment before slipping past her and pushing open the door. She stood, slightly shocked and hurt before he appeared, carrying a pair of boots and a jacket.

"I wasn't sure which were yours so I grabbed whatever looked warm." He handed her the clothing and she quickly slipped them on while saying a quick 'thank you'. They both leaned against opposite railings, regarding each other. She tried to suppress the silly grin that had appearing on her face but to no avail. It was weird having someone do something so nice for her.

"So where were you coming from?" She inquired, folding her arms across her chest.

"I was just having a chat with Dumbledore; he wants to have a meeting soon to iron out some details." He replied, copying her stance.

"Wait…details? About what exactly?" Her interest was piqued; she hadn't heard a thing about any operations at the last meeting.

"Oh right, I keep forgetting that you're new to the order, well new-ish." He amended after she shot him a look. He sighed and rubbed his hands together before quickly glancing around. "I'm not sure if I'm in any position to tell you this since it's pretty classified but seeing as you're an order member I suppose that you do have a right to know."

"Well about four months ago we got wind that Lord Voldemort had heard a prophecy regarding an order member-"

"What, who?"

"Just let me finish. He heard a prophecy that basically said he would be defeated by a child. There were some other details in it that led him to believe that it was Lily and James son, Harry that the prophecy was about. He has since then been on the hunt for them. They are safely hidden away."

"Wait a second. First of all, Harry isn't even four months old, how could You-Know-Who have known about him before he was even born?" Maggie questioned, clearly bewildered.

"It was common knowledge that Lily was pregnant and again, certain points in the prophecy led him to believe that it was their son." He shrugged slightly.

"Okay then next, if they are 'safely hidden away' then how do they show up for order meetings and come to visit?"

"It's pretty risky, I mean if any of the Death Eaters were to see them it would be very very bad for everyone but they apparate very carefully. This is the only other place they go; anywhere else would be too dangerous."

Maggie was silent for a long moment as she digested this information. How could they stand being cooped up in one place for so long? Suddenly a thought struck her.

"But wait the prophecy said something about You-Know-Who being defeated? So it will happen!" She was instantly jubilant. She had never known a wizarding world that wasn't held captive by the monster.

"Well yes, but it doesn't seem quite possible now does it? Think about it, a baby defeating one of the most powerful wizards of this century." She stalled for a moment, pondering this.

"I have no idea." She admitted quietly, suddenly feeling disheartened. It was impossible for a baby to defeat such a powerful wizard, especially one who possessed so much power.

"Neither do I, But magic can do very powerful things so who knows what will happen. Anyways that's probably the most important things about our meetings as of late, as long as you know that than I'm sure you can catch on to what most of the conversations are about."

"Well thanks, yet again." She laughed slightly and turned her head towards the main road as a street light flickered to life. When she glanced back at Remus she froze in her place. He was staring at her with such an intensity and focus that it rooted her to the spot. He opened his mouth a few times, as if to say something before pressing them into a hard line. He glanced away, then back at her, eyes still burning.

"I…I just want you to-" The door flew open and they both jumped, effectively shattering the moment.

"Oh! Sorry to interrupt you two but supper is ready, Maggie Alice wanted me to apologize about your little tiff earlier. Personally I think she's going a little stir crazy all cooped up in here." Frank flashed her a toothy grin. Maggie reeled for a moment, glancing back at Remus who was staring hard at the coat tree behind Frank's head.

"Of course," She sputtered after a moment. "I should probably apologize to her too." She trailed off slightly and watched as Remus ducked under Frank's arm and into the house.

He cocked his head slightly. "Looks like he's off in a hurry be gentle with the youngins' Maggie." He threw his head back and laughed at his own joke while forced a chuckle from her chest before squeezing past him.


	11. Chapter 11

It was not often that Sirius was able to tease Mooney about much other than the perpetual stick in his fanny but it seemed he had struck gold. He had been observing his friend for the last few weeks and had had a shocking epiphany. After this revelation no one could say he wasn't perceptive or keen. The mind boggling realization had come one evening when the two men were playing a particularly rousing game of wizard's chest.

"Oh goblin balls." Remus had muttered as one of Padfoots pawns disembowelled his rook.

"Goblin balls?" Sirius guffawed, "Look who's getting creative with their expletives!"

Remus just raised a brow before sweeping the crumbled bits of marble towards his friend. Sirius hadn't even noticed Maggie was in the room till she pushed a chair towards the sparsely decorated bookcase.

"Need some help there little one?" Sirius bellowed, causing the brunette to jump and almost topple off the chair.

"_Little one_?" She scoffed, "Need I remind you who the eldest in the room is." She stretched an alabaster arm towards the top shelf and pulled down a hefty book.

"I was commenting more on stature than age my wee little friend."

"5'7 is not _wee, _it is a perfectly average height for a woman thank you very much." She hopped off the chair and pushed it back into place. Sirius watched her as she left the room and ran up the stairs. She had a pert little bottom, one that wasn't exactly proportioned to her well-endowed chest. When he turned back to the game he found his friend attempting to murder him with his eyes.

"Whoa there Moons, something bothering you?" Remus cleared his throat and dropped his furious gaze down to the table.

"I'm feeling a little sick….must have been the chicken or something." This is when it hit him.

"Oh mooney no no no no." Sirius groaned, pressing the back of his hand against his forehead dramatically.

"What?" Remus said sharply, glaring again.

"You have it bad for Mags!" Sirius mock whispered, leaning across the small table. Remus shook his head and sighed in annoyance. "Shut up Pads."

"Look at you! All you do is watch her….undress her with your eyes….shag her in your dreams…" Sirius raised his eyebrows suggestively, grinning obscenely.

"Shut. Up. Now." Remus ground out, gripping his wand tightly in blatant threat.

"You know she is pretty hot, not really my type but very cute." His friend looked about ready to blast him into oblivion. "And that _hair, _so thick and long. A guy could really get his hands into it, have something to really grab in the bedroom if you know what I mean."

"Don't curse your friend, don't curse your friend." Remus's eyes were closed as he muttered his newly found mantra.

"I bet she's a screamer."

"Say one more word and I will crucio you into oblivion." With the tip of his friends wand pressed hard against his neck Sirius laughed.

"Oh Moon beam, don't go getting your panties in a twist. Now have you and Miss Dufresne done anything?" Sirius quirked his brows again and sat back in his chair, pushing it onto its back two legs.

Remus seemed to seethe quietly for a moment, pushing his wand back into his trouser pocket and picking lint off of his thread bare sweater before replying. "We've kissed. Only once and it ended quickly." He amended after his friend gave a loud whoop.

"Well why did it end? Did she have bad breath? A bad kisser?"

"No no nothing like that…she was perfectly…" He seemed to trail off in embarrassment. "Well it ended because I…erm…well I bit her."

There was a beat of silence before: "So?"

Remus jerked his head up, staring at his companion in confusion. "I _bit _her Sirius."

"Did she start sobbing or something? They sometimes do that, the fairer sex does."

"I'm sure she was disgusted! What kind of monster just knaws on something mid snog!" Remus seemed truly flustered as he relived this particularly embarrassing moment, eventually resting his worried face in his palm.

"You just got into it and gave her a little love nip and I'm sure she wasn't disgusted. Hell I'm willing to bet that it was a turn on, she seems like she could take a little bit of man handling." Remus groaned at that and began to rub his temples, as if the massaging could assuage his misplaced guilt.

"Trust me with this one, I have had experience with ladies and most of them don't really mind a little bite now and again. Plus," He began, nudging his down trodden friend with a sharp elbow. "She likes you just as much as you like her."

"Wha-" Remus began, his head suddenly snapping up to question his friend who just so happened to be on his feet, walking towards the staircase.

"Maggie!" He yelled. There was a muffled thump and an expletive before they both heard her reply.

"Yeah?" She called from her room.

"Come down here!" They both waited as she opened the door and descended the stairs. Remus sat tense as she reached the landing, horrified at the plan his friend was concocting.

"You called?" She folded her arms across her chest and peered at Sirius in curiosity.

"Very perceptive!" She cast him a mock glare. "But I was wondering if you would be able to play a rousing game of wizards chess with my friend here, it would seem I am feeling quite ill and need to go lie down."

"Oh um sure." She replied awkwardly after a moment of silence.

"Great!" Sirius patted her roughly on the head before bounding up the stairs.

She walked towards the recently vacated seat across from Remus. He gave her a close lipped smile before running his hands through his hair nervously. She glanced down at the carnage on the board.

"Oh dear Merlin." She muttered.

"What?" Remus asked quickly.

"I never thought I'd feel bad for pieces of stone but it looks as if quite a few have been murdered…brutally." Remus gave a short little laugh and swept hand wand above the board, restoring it to neatly organized rows.

"Never had the honour of playing wizards chest have you?"

"Nope I was more of a checkers girl." Her cheeks burned as she blurted out the lame joke, even Remus winced.

"Shut up." She snapped playfully. He looked at her, slightly harassed before realizing she was kidding.

"Your jokes are awful." He replied, shrugging. She attempted to punch him across the table but before her hand could make contact with his chest he caught her hand. He seemed to hold it for a moment too long before dropping it like a hot coal. She pulled it back awkwardly and set it in her lap.

"When I bit you were you disgusted?" Maggie was about 98% sure her face now resembled a grape as the incident Remus was referring to played through her mind. Remus was staring either in mortification or fury at his feet; it was difficult to tell which. Maggie pitied the unassuming appendages before realizing she had to say something.

"Uhh- what." She gasped lamely, struggling to even process the question.

"Never mind I shouldn't have asked." He began to tuck the pieces back into a crushed velvet case with more force than necessary. Maggie bit her lip, stomach performing acrobatics as she answered.

"Is that what you thought, that I was mad at you for biting my lip? Honestly Remus I didn't care….I cared more that you shoved me away than anything."

"That I shoved you away?" He seemed surprised, as if any girl would want to be launched out of the arms of the man with whom they were smitten.

"Well I mean I thought you liked me…and well I haven't felt attracted to anyone since Chris so it was weird for me too. You shouldn't beat yourself up over one little thing Remus, I'm really not that delicate." She sighed slightly and began to twist her hair nervously. She suddenly felt a hand on her chin, pushing it up. He was leaning across the small table, inches from her. His breath washed over her face and she was drawn back to that disastrous lesson.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. She looked up into his eyes as he gazed down at her in fervent concentration, torn between kissing her and pulling away. She took a deep breath and leaned forward. Her lips pressed against his for a moment before he pulled away. She stared at him, hurt and angry before being pulled to her feet roughly. His hands pressed to her scalp, knotting her locks around his fingers as his lips pressed firmly against hers. He sucked on her bottom lip, running his tongue across it in apology as she parted her lips, running her tongue along his hungrily. Her small hands clutched his jaw, the smattered five o'clock shadow hissing against her palms. Eventually they pulled away, breathing heavily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face into his shoulder, inhaling his intoxicating scent. His lips glided across her neck and eventually made their way to the small spot below her ear.

"I _do _like you." He whispered huskily into the shell of her ear. She shivered slightly and reached her hand to stroke the hair at the nape of his neck. He drew back and kissed her again, this time he didn't seem so frantic. It was gentle and sweet and left her weak kneed. She smiled sleepily and pressed her lips against his cheek.

"I want to shag you…badly." Remus's eyebrows practically sky rocketed off of his forehead with this proclamation. "But I must maintain some sort of allure and return to my bed room now, where I will pretend to sleep."

Remus groaned as she slipped out of his arms. "How can you leave after telling me something like that?" She simply shrugged and smirked playfully before stepping up the stairs.

"Sweet dreams." She purred from half way up, turning towards him and winking.

Sweet dreams _indeed_.

Sirius laid in his bed, perusing the latest issue of Play Witch magazine before flipping it closed. He rolled onto his back and grinned at the ceiling, silently congratulating himself on the awkward situation he had left his dear friend in. He knew that this crush wouldn't really go anywhere, that Remus was a bit too skittish to get anywhere near a girl but it was always fun to enjoy the show.


End file.
